Lifestyle

With rental prices continuing to rise you may find the thought of buying more enticing. Of course the only problem is that housing prices are going up fast as well. Unless you have well over a 6-figure income you may feel as if it’s not possible to find a house that you would actually want to live in. As a first-time homebuyer I felt the same way, but doing some research and getting some help from an experienced and patient realtor ended up proving me wrong. My search took almost a year, but in the end I found a house that was perfect for me at this stage in my life.

Here is what I learned:

- Set your budget and stick to it

- Work with an experienced realtor you trust

- Select several areas you would like to live (compatible with your budget) and don’t settle for anywhere else

-Know what you want when it comes to layout, number of bedrooms/bathrooms, parking situation, yard size, etc. and don’t settle until you find it

-Make a list of what you want and a list of what you must have

-Be patient and wait for the right house

The house I found was a bit of a fixer-upper, but it was in a neighborhood that is pretty good and coming up very quickly. I did get everything I had on my must have list and stayed within my budget. The fixing up process has been fun, but not overwhelming: the bathrooms, kitchen and windows (impact) were new. In the end it was well worth the process and the wait to find it. Bottom line, do your research, know what you want and keep looking until you find it.